Her Anchor, His Growth
by RachelCriesWhenReading
Summary: All that mattered was this moment; he was hers, and she was his, and their life as the Potter's had officially begun.


**Author's Note:** Hey guys, so when I should have been doing my English coursework that was due in two weeks ago, I wrote a Jily oneshot instead. My priorities are obviously sorted. Anyway, so this wasn't what I intended to go up first, but it didn't need my Marauder Era notes to be finished, and to be honest I was just in a Jily mood. So hopefully you enjoy it. (What is titling? What?)

**Disclaimer:** Now I know this may come as a bit of a shock, but, unfortunately, I do not own the Harry Potter series, including any characters or worlds, all credit to JK.

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Lily looked out at the small gathering of people; just a few close friends, and Dumbledore to officiate. She knew her family would be disappointed that she hadn't included them in the ceremony, but James and her had both agreed that low-key would be safer for everybody. Maybe, if the war ever ended, they could have a bigger celebration to include a wider range of their family and friends, but for now all that mattered was this day, this moment.

She looked away from the encouraging smiles that faced her and turned towards James. His beaming face chased any thoughts of the people missing from her mind, as she felt her own mouth erupt into a matching smile. A small laugh escaped her lips as James pouted his lips towards her. Shaking her head at him, she took her betrothed's hand and looked towards their old headmaster whose eyes were welling up with tears behind his half-moon spectacles.

"In times as dark as these, we cherish this moment." Dumbledore began "I have seen these two stood before me grow in to marvellous young people. The bonds they formed during their time at Hogwarts have been crucial to that, and while one of them needed maturity, the other needed an anchor, and they find those things in each other." Lily and James exchanged glances, there were tears in his eyes, and her hand gripped his fiercely. "Apart they are strong, but together they will be close to unstoppable. And with the support and love of their friends," the old man gestured towards the small crowd "they will form a core from which we all benefit. The tide of the war changes today; today we are reminded that love makes us stronger, and if we hold to that, I can assure you that the Darkness will be overcome. Now, James, Lily, have you any words before I perform the ritual?"

James motioned with his hands for Lily to go first. "James, if you'd told me five years ago that I'd be marrying you someday, I would have- well I think that actually may have happened once or twice, and I can't tell you how sorry I am for that. I was so bloody stubborn. You were too though, and I am so glad that you were, that you persevered with me, because if I- if I hadn't let you win, I- I- I would have missed out on the best years of my life. I know that in the eyes of many people, we haven't been together for that long, but the memories that we already have, and the ones that we will have, are ones that I will treasure. I cannot think of one person who I'd rather be up here with, so thank you, for being my anchor."

Lily nodded at James as tears wet her cheeks, and James glanced down the steps the, looking for the face of his honorary brother, and best man. Sirius shook his hair out of his eyes as he locked eyes with James _Go on _he mouthed. James cleared his throat and turned back to Lily. "Lily Evans, you're the best thing to happen to me since I got on the Gryffindor Quidditch team." he said. Lily smiled and the crowd laughed but James' face grew solemn "I will never understand what changed your mind about me, Lil. I grew up wanting for nothing, but you were the first thing in my life that didn't come easily to me. So, thank _you_, for helping me to mature."

James cleared his throat again and nodded to Dumbledore who raised his wand over the couple's clasped hands and muttered "_Disponsatio". _A pale red beam streamed from the end of the wand and circled itself around the hands; the colour seemed to seep into their skin until glowing spirals shone on their forearms. As the colour began to fade Dumbledore called out "Sempiternus coniugium, ut numquam moriatur." The crowd repeated the phrase. James leaned towards Lily and whispered the words in her ear, and then he pulled back and brushed his lips across hers.

"Come on Potter, you can do better than that." Lily murmured, raising her eyebrows before tangling her hands in her husband's hair and crashing her lips to his. A cheer sounded from behind them as James' hands slid round her waist. He pulled his mouth from hers for just a few seconds, just long enough to reply "You're on, Potter."

Hearing him address her as a Potter, the confirmation that they were a family by name, invoked an ache in her stomach; a longing that was satisfied yet not truly fulfilled, not yet. The pair of them ignored the cheers and applause from the crowd. All that mattered was this moment; he was hers, and she was his, and their life as the Potter's had officially begun.

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Gah, I love Jily so much.

Thank you for reading!

Rachel x


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